Giant Hail and Destructive Winds Put 40 Million People on Alert Across Central U.S.

• Giant hail sparks severe weather alert across the US
• 40 million people under threat
• Tornado risk continues increasing

A large portion of the central United States is facing another wave of severe storms threatening millions of residents.

More than 40 million people are located within the danger zone, which stretches across a corridor spanning more than 1,200 miles.

The storms intensified late in the week and are expected to continue developing into early next week.

Large hail and potentially destructive wind gusts remain the most immediate threats.

Weekend brings elevated severe weather risk to the US

Strong storms were already reported Friday from Texas to Iowa, accompanied by winds exceeding 65 mph (105 km/h).

Atmospheric conditions remain unstable, and forecasters expect a similar scenario Saturday, with storm cells capable of producing significant impacts.

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In addition, southwestern Nebraska, northeastern Colorado, and northwestern Kansas remain under a Level 3 out of 5 severe weather risk.

Other areas including Iowa, northern Missouri, Kentucky, and portions of southeastern South Dakota are under a Level 2 out of 5 risk.

Supercells and tornado risk

Throughout the afternoon, storms are expected to develop in scattered formations but with varying intensity.

Meteorologists predict that by evening some supercells could merge into a larger and more powerful storm system.

Among the most serious threats is hail reaching up to 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) in diameter or larger.

Forecasters are also warning of isolated tornadoes, especially across portions of Nebraska and Kansas.

Visible impacts and earlier warnings

The threat is not entirely new, as it began Thursday with multiple severe thunderstorm warnings issued across the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles.

Videos shared on social media showed lightning strikes hitting the ground during intense storms in southern Kansas.

In Indianapolis, officials at the Indianapolis 500 temporarily evacuated grandstands because of nearby lightning activity.

These storms highlight the scale of the atmospheric system continuing to move across the central US.

Threat expected to continue through Monday

Meteorologists expect severe weather conditions to persist through the weekend and potentially intensify Monday.

There is increasing concern about the possibility of strong tornadoes developing across central Kansas and northern Oklahoma during the afternoon hours.

The combination of warm air, abundant moisture, and atmospheric instability will create favorable conditions for organized severe storms.

Authorities are urging residents to closely monitor weather updates and maintain emergency plans in case conditions change rapidly, according to Fox Weather.